Resilient wheel.



C. L. WOLFE.

RESlLIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATIQN FILED MAY 25. 1915.

Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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C. L. WOLFE.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 25. 1915.

1,203,674. Patented Nov. 7, 1916.

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attorney 6,

C. L. WOLFE.

RESILIENT WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 25. 1915.

Ptented Nov. 7 1916.

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j tending radially a distance suflicient tooverlap innerportions of the outer rim, and to.

transmitting through them to the'outer rim,

lTD ST CLINTON L. WOLFE, or BRooK'LYnnEvv YORK.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Application filed May 25, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLINTON L. WOLFE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient lVheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to resilient wheels of the type employing inner and outer rims with resilient spacing means between them.

One object of the invention is to develop a construction which will afi'ord localized resiliency to relatively small areas of the outer rim, independently of the remainder of said rim, so as to simulate more nearly the effect of a pneumatic tire; to which end, one feature of the invention consists in sub-dividing the outer rim into a large number of independent sections united by pintles or other suitable hinging means, with their axes parallel to the axis ofthe wheel, so that a rubber tire supported on such rim, can yield in the immediate vicinity of the point at which it bears upon the road surface without having to move any considerable portion of the rim; this effect being realized in greatest measure by having the resilient spacing means connected at the pintles instead of at intermediate points of the rim sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide a driving connection between the inner and outer rims, which will be very substantial and unyielding circumferentially of the wheel, as well as in the direction of its axis, but which will permit entire freedom of movement of the outer rim parts radially;

also to embody these driving and sustainingconnections in a light but rigid structure, and to bring the same into cooperative relation with the rims through means that are very effective but simple in construction.

To these ends, another feature of the invention consists in mounting upon opposite edges of the inner rim, annular plates eX- provide -said plates with radial-grooves which receive the-outer rim pintlesan'd guide them in their radial movements, while the drive received from the innerrim.

I A further feature relates to the construetion'yof theresilient-means interposed ice-1 tween the rims, which-comprises -a-unitarydevice multiplied suilicientlyto provide a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. '7, 1916.

Serial No. 30,348.

radially yielding support beneath each rim pintle; each of said resilient units comprising a spring whose outer seat is in the form of a stirrup carried by the pintle, and whose inner seat is upon the flange of a dash pot radially set into the inner rim, and whose piston extends coaXially with the spring to present an additional resistance to the inward movement of theouter rim pintle and the. parts connected therewith.

A further object relates to'the adaptation of the features of the invention already described in a wheel structure embodying a plurality of parallel treads, each mounted upon an independent outer rim separately movable relatively to the inner rim; in which multiple tread adaptation, there is a common inner rim with one intermediate annular alining plate which serves in common for both outer rims, and two outer alining plates serving to connect the common inner rim with the respective outer rims, anda separate annular series of resilient spacing units for each outer rim.

The above outline of the features of the invention where directed to details, is to be understood as relating to the exemplifications of the invention selected to illustrate its structural and operative characteristics, and not as indicating the scope of the invention, for it is obvious that while all of the features above outlined and hereinafter described may enter into cooperation in the most desirable embodiment of the several features of the invention, many of these features involve novelty per 86. I

The invention will be fully understood upon reference to the accompanying draw-v ings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel disclosing one embodiment of the invention;

, the alining plate being partly in section to is a detail view of the upper portion of Fig.

1,--in whichone-of the rim-sections, one of the resilient-units, and a portion ofrthe alinin'g plate are shown'in section. Fig. 4 is a section on the line l4:. of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is asection onthe 'line-5-5 oflFig. 3. Fig; 6 isa detail View of several of the outerrim: sections.-Fig. 7" :is a sectional detailview of a double tread-wheel construction. Fig. 8 is a detail view, in plan, ShOWlng aportion of thewheel shown in Fig.-7-,.the outer rim pintles being staggered in positions. :Fig.

9 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing a modithe movable clamp employed for securing the cushion them the outer rim.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, 1 represents a cushion tire, 2 an annular series of sections or members forming a rim for supportlng the same, provided with clencher jaws 3, 4, of which the jaws 3 are integral with the sections, while the jaws 4 are adjustable to develop clamping pressure upon the tire; said sections being united by hinges 5 having pintles 5 and their clamping jaws which are fitted together by sockets 3 and tongues 4 are drawn together by screws 6, which enter notches in the inner side of the cushion tire or penetrates the same as may be desired. 7 represents the inner rim which is supported by spokes 8 from any suitable hub construction 9.

To establish driving connection between the rims 7 and 2 and sustain them against axial thrust, without resisting the radial movement of the outer rim, annular alining plates 10 are mounted upon the inner rim 7 as for instance by providing hollow ribs 1O on the plates to receive lugs 7 a on the inner rim and bolts 11 for securing said plates,

and these hollow ribs 10* extend radially outward in position to receive the pintles 5 so that while overlapping the outer rim and permitting radial movement thereof, the

plates prevent circumferential movement of said outer rim relatively to the inner rim.

' Located between each pintle 5 and the rim 7, is a resilient unit comprising a com: pression spring 12 having a seat 13 for positioning it upon the inner rim, and a seat 14 carried by a stirrup 15 through which it receives inward radial load from the pintle 5 In addition to this spring, and mounted coaxially within it, there is preferably a limiting cushion 16, against which the seat 14 may strike under extreme loads, and to further resist and graduate the eifect of heavy loads, a plunger 17 projects through the cushion 16 into the path of the movable seat 1% and carries upon its inner end, a piston 18, working in the dash pot 19 against a return spring 20, as well as a body of air that may be trapped in the dash pot. The dash pots 19 are conveniently mounted upon the inner rim by setting them in radial openings in said rim and permitting them to rest upon their flanges 18, which provide seats for the springs 12.

N hen it is desired to embody the invention in a multiple tread wheel such as illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10, each outer rim 2 as well as its accessory parts, including the resilient units 12 and their accessory parts, may be substantially as described in connection with Figs. 1 to 6, and so with the outer alining plates 10 and their connections 7, 10 11 and 5 but the inner rim 7 is preferably supported on a double series of staggered spokes 8 and carries an intermediate alining plate or flange 10" integral therewith.

According to Figs. 7 and 8, the grooves 10, receiving the inner ends of pintles 5, are staggered or alternated in position on opposite sides of the flange 10", while in Figs. 9 and 10, said flange is provided with through slots 10 for the passage of the pintle 5 which serves in common for both outer rims.

I claim:

1. A wheel comprising inner and outer rims, one of which is made up of a circumferential series of sections joined to permit radial flexibility, a series of radially acting resilient spacing means located between the rims, said spacing means comprising coil springs and pneumatic buflers concentrically placed; and alining plates overlying both rims; the joints between the sections embodying pintles parallel to the wheel axis; said resilient means being connected to the sectional rim through the medium of said pintles; said pintles being circumferentially interlocked with but radially movable on said alining plates.

2. A Wheel embodying in its structure resiliently spaced inner and outer rims, and alining plates overlying said rims; said alining plates being constructed with inwardly presented radial grooves, said outer rim being constructed with lateral projections which enter and are radially movable in the outer portions of said grooves, said grooves being closed at their outer ends and adapted to limit the outward movement of said projections, and said inner rim being constructed with lateral lugs which enter and are fixed in the inner portions of said grooves.

3. A wheel comprising in its structure a radially flexible sectional outer rim having pintles hinging its parts together and projecting laterally beyond the same, an inner rigid rim having laterally presented lugs, resilient spacing means interposed between the rims, said spacing means comprising coil springs and pneumatic buffers concentrically placed; and alining plates overlying said rims and having inwardly presented radial grooves fitting at their inner portions upon the lugs of the inner rim, and-receiving the pintles with freedom of radial movement in their outer portions; said plates being bolted to the inner rim through said lugs.

4. In a resilient wheel comprising flexible and rigid rims, with a series of resilient spacing members between them; buffers embodied in said resilient members, said resilient members comprising coil springs, and said buffers being concentric with said springs; dash-pots also positioned concentricwith said springs, pistons in said dash-pots having rods projecting into the paths of parts moving with the flexible rim, and said buflers surrounding said piston rods and serving as limit stops for the flexible rim.

5. In a resilient wheel comprising flexible and rigid rims, with a series of resilient spacing members between them; buffers em bodied in said resilient members, said resilient members comprising coil springs, and said buffers being concentric with said springs; dash-pots also positioned concentric with said springs, pistons in said dash-pots having rods projecting into the paths of parts moving with the flexible rim, and said buffers surrounding said piston rods and serving as limit stops for the flexible rim, said dash-pots being constructed with seats for the springs.

6. In a resilient wheel comprising flexible and rigid rims, with a series of resilient spacing members between them; buifers embodied in said resilient members, said resilient members comprising coil springs, and said buifers being concentric with said springs; dash-pots also positioned concentric with said springs, pistons in said dash-pots having rods projecting into the paths of parts moving with the flexible rim, and said buffers surrounding said piston rods and serving as limit stops for the flexible rim, said dash-pots being seated in radial perforations in the rigid rim, and provided with axial and peripheral flanges forming seats, respectively for the buifers and for the springs.

7 A resilient wheel comprising an inner rim, a plurality of independent outer rims,

having protruding pintles, and said alining plates having radial grooves to receive said pintles, said spacing means comprising spiral springs and pneumatic buffers.

8. A resilient wheel comprising an inner rim, and two independent outer rims, and separate circumferential series of resilient spacing means between the inner rim and the respective outer rims, said spacing means including spiral springs and pneumatic buffers, there being alining plates carried by the inner rim and overlapping and sustaining the outer rims; one of said alining plates being intermediate of the two outer rims and serving in common for both; said outer rims comprising hinged sections having protruding pintles, and said alining plates having radial grooves to receive said pintles; the pintles and the grooves in the alining plates for receiving them being alternated or staggered in positions upon the two outer rims.

The foregoing specification signed at Brooklyn, New York, this 4th day of May,

CLINTON L. WOLFE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

